Although patents normally form the core of pharmaceutical and bioscience companies' intellectual property portfolios, the importance of other IP rights cannot be overlooked.
A strong brand, particularly in the OTC market, can help lessen the impact of a product coming off patent. Innovative design, both in terms of packaging and product design can give rise to further protective distinctiveness which can help to give the product market advantage.
There is also the protection given by copyright to patient information leaflets and the like, and the protection potentially afforded to sequence information, or to other collections of data, by the database right.
The technical ability of our dedicated international team of trade mark lawyers, many of whom are also qualified in science subjects ensures we are ideally placed to advise in relation to the development, protection and exploitation of trade marks. This is complemented by our in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical and biosciences sectors enabling us to add value by providing focused legal advice.